And the fun continues…

Little Miss Raegan for one is not so little anymore and reminds me daily! Not only has she sprouted, but she’s losing her chubby baby cheeks and is all around turning into a little lady. We love watching her grow and change, but definitely miss the baby in her!  And of course she continues to entertain us and keep us on our toes every day.

This month we have continued the potty training and not much has changed. She’s still fully potty trained and daycare, but plays the “baby” role at home! It’s frustrating at times because I know she knows how to use the potty, but I know in time she’ll be on board.

A fun activity this month was swimming! We weren’t sure if Raegan would remember swimming last year, but it didn’t take her long! She was timid at first, but after about 15 minutes our wild child was jumping off the side of the pool and having a blast. It’s a bit scary because she has no fear, so we constantly teaching her the rules of the pool and keep all our eyes on her at all times. I’m pretty sure she’ll be a full time swimmer next year.

Raegan also took her newfound love of the water to the lake when we took my parents boat out for the first time this season. After she observed the older kids jumping off the boat into the not-so-warm water, she had to go also. And this did not end after a few jumps. She continued for over an hour and shivered the entire time. Not sure what it is about kids, but they are oblivious to the cold temperatures when they’re having fun! Again, it’s nice she’s not afraid of the water, but it sure makes our job a bit harder and keeps us on our toes. Not quite sure if she’ll get out on a tube this year, but she’ll definitely try a few belly flops off the back of the boat!

We took another trip to Los Osos last month and Raegan was ready weeks before we left – she kept asking if today was the day we were going to the beach. It was super cute and she was very excited. This time we rented a house with some friends from San Diego by the beach in Morro Bay. Unfortunately we were so busy the first few days and we didn’t get to take Raegan to the beach. And of course on the day we did, it was cold, windy and not ideal for the beach. But I couldn’t disappoint little Miss Raegan, so we headed down to the beach anyway and she of course could care less about the weather. She had a blast chasing her cousin Austen around and digging in the sand. We didn’t last long, but surely she was happy to get her trip to the beach!

Also during our trip Raegan  celebrated her cousin Nolan’s 3^rd birthday and had a blast hanging with her cousins all weekend. It’s so wonderful to see her play with her cousins and get along so well…at least for now! She does well hanging with all the boys and puts her prissiness to the side.

Lastly, a fun purchase for the Kelly family were two beach cruisers from a local garage sale. Hayden had just mentioned he wanted to buy bikes and on a walk through the neighborhood that same day, there were two bikes for sale. So it was meant to be! We bought a great front-facing seat for little Miss Raegan to sit and after a few hours of assembly by mom, we were set to go. Of course Miss Raegan wasn’t too sure about the whole thing, but once we started riding she was all smiles and squeals! She absolutely loves it and constantly asks us to go faster! Fingers crossed this will lead to her wanting to ride her own bike soon.

As always, we are purely entertained and amazed by our little Miss Raegan every month. We were slight slackers on the photos this month, but there are still enough to enjoy.

View photos and videos here.

More Adventures in Raegan's World

Raegan continues to keep us busy and fully entertained daily. We feel like these last few months, she’s turned into a little girl and the baby is all gone. She’s a chatter bug full of personality and spitfire for sure! I think I’ll follow in one of my friend’s footsteps and start posting the hilarious things little miss thang says daily. It amazes us how witty and smart she is just at age 2! I wonder if she knows how awesome she is sometimes, but then she quickly reminds me that yes, yes she surely does.

In the last post I forgot to mention that little Miss Raegan had her first dentist appointment in February and was a champ! She’s super shy at first and very observant, so this trait worked really well while at the dentist. She was very calm and curious, but let the dentist check her teeth and didn’t cry but for a second. And afterward she kept talking about how sparkly her teeth were! Love it.

We’ve also been slowly working on the potty training with little Miss Raegan and it’s been going great…at daycare! She pretty much is fully potty trained at daycare and now stays there all day in her “big girl” panties. But at home it’s a whole different story. In her own words, “I’m not a big girl, I’m little.” So I take it she’s tired of being responsible all day at daycare and wants to just be a little girl at home and relax. Who can blame her! For now, at home we are half potty trained, but I don’t think it will be long for the diapers to be completely out of the house. Especially if she keeps getting her marshmallows and high fives after every potty experience! Ha.

Another adventure Miss Raegan enjoyed recently was a trip to Fairytale Town. I’ve been waiting to take her there for a few months because I’d never been and thought she was too young for the place, but I was definitely wrong! It’s basically a park you pay to get into! I was a bit disappointed, but after an hour of attitude, Miss Raegan pepped up and enjoyed herself. It’s a cute place and she enjoyed herself, but I think we’ll try an actual amusement park sometime soon.  

One of the best things recently was Easter. Raegan was very excited about this holiday this year and it was a lot more fun to have her interact and really understand egg coloring and hunting this go around. Unfortunately she also understood that candy was a big part of this holiday as well, but it was still very fun! She loved coloring the eggs this year and hunting for them was definitely one of her favorites. In fact, she made us hide them a few times so she could hunt again and again! Best of all, she absolutely loved dressing up in her Easter dress! So much so that she was upset that she couldn’t wear it during her nap and requested it the second she woke up. Oh the joy of a girly girl! 

As always, little Miss Raegan brought lots of smiles to us since our last post and we captured some great moments on camera and on video. Enjoy them all as much as we do!

View Photos and Videos here.

My Commitment to Raegan...

25 RULES FOR MOTHERS OF DAUGHTERS

1. Paint her nails. Then let her scratch it off and dirty them up. Teach her to care about her appearance, and then quickly remind her that living and having fun is most important.

2. Let her put on your makeup, even if it means bright-red-smudged lips and streaked-blue eyes. Let her experiment in her attempts to be like you…then let her be herself.

3. Let her be wild. She may want to stay home and read books on the couch, or she may want to hop on the back of a motorcycle-gasp. She may be a homebody or a traveler. She may fall in love with the wrong boy, or meet mr. right at age 5. Try to remember that you were her age once. Everyone makes mistakes, let her make her own.

4. Be present. Be there for her at her Kindergarten performances, her dance recitals, her soccer games…her everyday-little-moments. When she looks through the crowds of people, she will be looking for your smile and pride. Show it to her as often as possible.

5. Encourage her to try on your shoes and play dress-up. If she would rather wear her brother’s superman cape with high heals, allow it. If she wants to wear a tutu or dinosaur costume to the grocery store, why stop her? She needs to decide who she is and be confident in her decision.

6. Teach her to be independent. Show her by example that woman can be strong. Find and follow your own passions. Search for outlets of expression and enjoyment for yourself- not just your husband or children. Define yourself by your own attributes, not by what others expect you to be. Know who you are as a person, and help your daughter find out who she is.

7. Pick flowers with her. Put them in her hair. There is nothing more beautiful than a girl and a flower.

8. Let her get messy. Get messy with her, no matter how much it makes you cringe inside. Splash in the puddles, throw snowballs, make mud pies, finger paint the walls: just let it happen. The most wonderful of memories are often the messy ones.

9. Give her good role models- you being one of them. Introduce her to successful woman- friends, co-workers, doctors, astronauts, or authors. Read to her about influential woman- Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Marie Curie. Read her the words of inspirational woman- Jane Austen, Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickinson. She should know that anything is possible.

10. Show her affection. Daughters will mimic the compassion of their mother. “I love yous” and Eskimo kisses go a long way.

11. Hold her hand. Whether she is 3 years-old in the parking lot or sixteen years old in the mall, hold on to her always- this will teach her to be confident in herself and proud of her family.

12. Believe in her. It is the moments that she does not believe in herself that she will need you to believe enough for both of you. Whether it is a spelling test in the first grade, a big game or recital, a first date, or the first day of college…remind her of the independent and capable woman you have taught her to be.

13. Tell her how beautiful she is. Whether it is her first day of Kindergarten, immediately after a soccer game where she is grass-stained and sweaty, or her wedding day. She needs your reminders. She needs your pride. She needs your reassurance. She is only human.

14. Love her father. Teach her to love a good man, like him. One who lets her be herself…she is after all wonderful.

15. Make forts with boxes and blankets. Help her to find magic in the ordinary, to imagine, to create and to believe in fairy tales. Someday she will make her 5 by 5 dorm-room her home with magic touches and inspiration. And she will fall in love with a boy and believe him to be Prince Charming.

16. Read to her. Read her Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle. But also remember the power of Sylvia Plath and Robert Frost. Show her the beauty of words on a page and let her see you enjoy them. Words can be simply written and simply spoken, yet can harvest so much meaning. Help her to find their meaning.

17. Teach her how to love- with passion and kisses. Love her passionately. Love her father passionately and her siblings passionately. Express your love. Show her how to love with no restraint. Let her get her heart broken and try again. Let her cry, and gush, giggle and scream. She will love like you love or hate like you hate. So, choose love for both you and her.

18. Encourage her to dance and sing. Dance and sing with her- even if it sounds or looks horrible. Let her wiggle to nursery rhymes. Let her dance on her daddy's feet and spin in your arms. Then later, let her blast noise and headbang in her bedroom with her door shut if she wants. Or karaoke to Tom Petty in the living room if she would rather. Introduce her to the classics- like The Beatles- and listen to her latest favorite- like Taylor Swift. Share the magic of music together, it will bring you closer- or at least create a soundtrack to your life together.

19. Share secrets together. Communicate. Talk. Talk about anything. Let her tell you about boys, friends, school. Listen. Ask questions. Share dreams, hopes, concerns. She is not only your daughter, you are not only her mother. Be her friend too.

20. Teach her manners. Because sometimes you have to be her mother, not just her friend. The world is a happier place when made up of polite words and smiles.

21. Teach her when to stand-up and when to walk away. Whether she has classmates who tease her because of her glasses, or a boyfriend who tells her she is too fat - let her know she does not have to listen. Make sure she knows how to demand respect - she is worthy of it. It does not mean she has to fight back with fists or words, because sometimes you say more with silence. Also make sure she knows which battles are worth fighting. Remind her that some people can be mean and nasty because of jealousy, or other personal reasons. Help her to understand when to shut her mouth and walk-away. Teach her to be the better person.

22. Let her choose who she loves. Even when you see through the charming boy she thinks he is, let her love him without your disapproving words; she will anyway. When he breaks her heart, be there for her with words of support rather than I told-you-so. Let her mess up again and again until she finds the one. And when she finds the one, tell her.

23. Mother her. Being a mother - to her - is undoubtedly one of your greatest accomplishments. Share with her the joys of motherhood, so one day she will want to be a mother too. Remind her over and over again with words and kisses that no one will ever love her like you love her. No one can replace or replicate a mother's love for their children.

24. Comfort her. Because sometimes you just need your mommy. When she is sick, rub her back, make her soup and cover her in blankets - no matter how old she is. Someday, if she is giving birth to her own child, push her hair out of her face, encourage her, and tell her how beautiful she is. These are the moments she will remember you for. And someday when her husband rubs her back in attempt to comfort her...she may just whisper, "I need my mommy."

25. Be home. When she is sick with a cold or broken heart, she will come to you; welcome her. When she is engaged or pregnant, she will run to you to share her news; embrace her. When she is lost or confused, she will search for you; find her. When she needs advice on boys, schools, friends or an outfit; tell her. She is your daughter and will always need a safe harbor - where she can turn a key to see comforting eyes and a familiar smile; be home.

Catching Up!

Time surely is flying by – so fast in fact that I’ve barely had a moment to keep up with this blog! A lot has occurred since little Miss Raegan’s birthday festivities and hopefully I capture it all here, but most will be just a summary of what I can remember from these last few months. 

As usual, Miss Raegan was a spoiled little lady for Christmas. I’m not quite sure why Hayden and I even bought her gifts with the amount she received from the rest of the family! And this has resulted in our front room officially becoming Raegan’s world – one thing I didn’t think would happen! This year we started our own family tradition and enjoyed Christmas morning at home where Raegan left Santa cookies and milk and enjoyed seeing him partake in those the next morning. This year was a lot more fun because she was more involved and excited. She tore through all the presents and immediately went into play mode. Overall it was a great success! And of course, she enjoyed Christmas #2 at Grammy and Nono’s house with the rest of the family and a Christmas skype with the Grandma and Pappa Kelly. 

The New Year went off with a bang and we enjoyed celebrating with friends and their kids. Raegan was a party animal and the last one standing. She ate, played, danced and danced and danced the night away, ringing in the East coast New Year at 9pm! 

Unfortunately, all of this fun and excitement took a toll on little Miss Raegan and she came down with a nasty cold, resulting in pneumonia. Luckily, we caught it early and the doctor was able to prescribe medicine to knock it out quickly before it progressed into something more serious. And of course, sweet Raegan passed along her illness to Mom and I wasn’t so lucky with a quick recovery nor was Hayden after he got a dose of it too. Needless to say we all started the New Year off resting in bed for a good 4 weeks!

February was a much better month for all of us! The topper of the month was taking Raegan to see Disney on Ice. She loved it and enjoyed the whole experience, especially the popcorn and cotton candy we let her taste. She practically ate an entire tub of popcorn and of course wanted more and more all day! Funny enough she wasn’t as in love with the princess stuff as we thought she would be, but was more intrigued and into Mickey Mouse. She has yet to put down the Mickey that Grammy bought her and has since requested Mickey’s playhouse on YouTube over and over! 

This month’s big parenting blunder was not doing Valentine’s cards or candy for Raegan’s daycare class. When I picked her up she had a handful of Valentine’s from her friends and teachers and I felt horrible that I didn’t do anything for her little friends. My take is that she’s too young for all of that, but apparently not! Oh well, now her friends are kept guessing if she really likes them or not!

Another thing that has slowed down lately is our picture taking! Of course there are plenty from Christmas, but other than that we’ve definitely slowed down. But there are still plenty to enjoy.

Until next time….

View Photos Here

Wow – Raegan is 2 Years Old!

Time has certainly flown by and our lil Miss Raegan is now 2 years old! We’re enjoying watching her grow and learn every day and she’s definitely keeping us on our toes and entertaining us along the way.

This month was full of lots of activities and fun for the lil one! We had Halloween, family photos, the big birthday bash, her first Raider game and Thanksgiving! Whew…I’m exhausted just thinking about it all again! Halloween was super fun this year and our little bumble bee Raegan was much more excited and understood what to do. We met up with all of her little friends and went to way more houses than I thought we would – almost 3 blocks worth! She practiced her “Trick or Treat” saying all week and was a pro come Halloween night! We definitely had a blast.

We also did our annual family photos this month and of course little Miss Raegan decided she would not be a good mood or smile for the photographer. Luckily we were able to get a few good shots and we’ll share those once we get them!

And for the big to do this month was Raegan’s 2^nd birthday party! Of course any daughter of mine has to celebrate her birthday for a whole week or more! With her birthday on Thanksgiving we had the party the weekend before plus she had a party at her school as well…and then of course another celebration on Thanksgiving day! She’s still talking about it being her birthday and expects the party to go on and on – no clue where she gets that from! J

To top off the birthday experience, we celebrated mama’s birthday by going to the Raider game! Everyone probably thought I was crazy taking a 2 year old to a Raider game, but our lil Miss Raegan was a champ! She had a blast tailgating, playing corn hole, eating and then watching her football team unfortunately lose. But through it all she was an angel and we were very lucky to have an uneventful/tantrum free experience! It definitely made my birthday!

And to complete the month’s activities we traveled to Los Osos for Thanksgiving and Raegan had the time of her life playing with her cousins. It’s so fun to see them all together having so much fun! She played so much and so hard she needed an extra day to recover back home before going to daycare! J

We’re very excited to watch Raegan grow up even more and can’t wait to see what this next year brings. Enjoy this month’s photos and videos – there are A LOT this time around since so much happened this month!

View Photos & Videos Here!

Sassy at 23 months!

Someone is gearing up for her terrible twos just in time! Not to say our little Miss Raegan is terrible, but she's definitely knows what it is she wants and will make you aware when she doesn't get it. Not sure where this is all coming from - neither Hayden nor I are like this in any way :)

This month has been a blast with Raegan! She is blossoming into a little lady right before our eyes and getting more and more independent each day. It's fun to see her "doing things herself" and trying new things. And with all of this comes a small dose of attitude and bossiness, but she's learning so it's a process. Overall though she's still a sweet little lady and keeps us entertained every day.

As with every month we have small little adventures that keep us on our toes. This month's adventure was a big trip for me and Hayden to Vermont for a wedding. And we decided to leave little Miss Raegan at home...for 5 days! I will admit that I went kicking and screaming the entire way to Vermont, but of course we all survived. Raegan received a present (or 50!) from Grammy and Nono every day we were gone, keeping her plenty entertained! And across the country, Hayden and I were busy catching up with all of our friends to have too much time to worry. So, it all went well and we all survived! 

With Halloween just around the corner, we of course had to take Miss Raegan to a harvest festival! Our little one didn't care all that much about the Halloween activities - just the dancing! We decided to hang out at a restaurant by the festivities and little Miss Raegan insisted that someone take her dancing the entire time! So, we all took shifts and she was able to get her dance on. It's quite scary how similar this little person is to both me and Hayden already! 

Also on this month's agenda was the dreaded potty training! I wanted to wait until after our trip to try so that my parents wouldn't be charged with that responsibility. So, when we got home I started the plans, I bought the supplies, planted the idea and then chickened out! That's right, it turns out I'm the one who isn't ready! :) Haha. Raegan has shown some interest, but ever since I started preparing, she's pulled away and is no longer interested. And at daycare they have said she has shown no interest at well - even with her big girl friends potty trained. So, of course, I took all of this as confirmation not to start...yet! Hopefully next month's blog will contain entertaining stories of that new adventure. 

Just four weeks away from our little lady's 2nd birthday. We can't believe it! Enjoy this month's photos and videos and Raegan's last month as a 1 year old! 

View Photos Here!

22 Months of More Fun!

Well little Miss Raegan is another month older and has graced us with yet another month of fun, fun, fun! Every day when I come home, she makes it harder and harder to want to put her to bed and leave her the next day. Her energy is amazing and the things she is learning every day are so wonderful to watch blossom. 

This month was very nice and relaxing for all of us and we didn't have as much activity as last month, so there are definitely less pictures to share. But as always, Miss Raegan did bless us with some keepers, so enjoy the pictures as much as we do. 

Raegan continues to enjoy her daycare and comes home everyday with stories to share and unbelievable amount of energy to burn. I would think she'd be worn out, but NOPE! But it's so great to see all of the crafts she makes and to hear how she loves circle time. This month we bought her a new tricycle that she loved for about a day or two. It's a a great one since she'll be able to grow into it, but we hope she'll like using it more than she does now!

We also took a family adventure to Folsom Lake to rent a kayak and enjoy the lake with out the ski boat. It was gorgeous and now Hayden is obsessed and ready to go every day! We were a bit nervous about taking Raegan on the kayak, so for the first time we kept her on shore. Next go we'll get her out on the boat and see what she thinks...and if she likes it, we'll get her out on a stand up paddle board! 

As Raegan grows up each day, she's surprising us with her acrobatics! We are to blame for some of her antics, but for some reason we feel it should be encouraged and will teach her not to be afraid! I'm sure we'll regret all of the practice we give her jumping off furniture and doing flips, etc. But for now, we're enjoying the excitement and how much she loves it. In fact, she surprised us with her ability to do a somersault and got the whole family doing them in the living room!! Grammy, Nono, Mommy, Daddy all had to take a few turns! 

The absolute favorite part of this month for me - and my proudest mama moment yet - was little Miss Raegan taking over the dance floor at a local street fair. The video we took is a bit dark, but if you can see anything, you'll see how she was having the time of her life! And this little one danced for almost an hour doing her thing. It seems she enjoys dancing as much as me! 

As always, we are enjoying every single second with Raegan and having the time of our lives. She amazes us every day and keeps us smiling. Enjoy this month's photos and videos!

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